


Reylo Weekly Challenge Entries

by rinabina



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - Fandom, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Last Jedi
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Reylo - Freeform, Two Halves of Reylo, future reylo, reyloweeklychallenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-04-07 12:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14081265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinabina/pseuds/rinabina
Summary: A collection of weekly entries for they#ReyloWeeklyChallengefrom theTwo Halves of Reylo Tumblr community.Probably won't be posting every week, but I'll try!





	1. Sand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The theme this week is, Sand.
> 
> Technically this takes place in the same universe as [Not Alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13398261/chapters/30693054). 
> 
> Enjoy!

She could feel the darkness in him, like a bitter taste on the back of her tongue.  It was heavy in the air, like the damp in the evenings. She had felt it the moment they landed on this planet - a large desert world she had never visited.  Although, that wasn’t surprising; Rey had never been anywhere until recently.

Ben had called it Tatooine.

The name seemed to carry some unspoken weight.  Even the  _ Falcon _ seemed to sag with the feel of it.  The Force was strong under her feet and woven tightly in the warm air that sped across the dunes.  Much had happened on this planet, it seemed...

After they landed, Ben had said little.  He merely lumbered on towards the mid-sized spaceport they’d been called to.  Rey saw ‘Mos Espa’ etched in basic over the city gates. The portmaster had summoned them to this place, and the old man was weary with worry. Young children had become outcasts and vagrants because they were struggling with unknown powers.  

Rey and Ben were used to these sorts of stories by now.  They’d heard them countless times, and they’d done their best to answer. The gossip feeds on the holo pads called them, “The Jedi-Makers.”  It was an over exaggeration, of course. Rey could practically hear Master Luke’s laughter from behind the veil. Ben, unsurprisingly, hated the title.  Rey, on the other hand, thought it was exciting. 

She’d never been known for anything before.

Together, the so-called Jedi and her dark knight had traveled from planet to planet, mentoring young force-wielding children until they were strong enough to carry on alone.  They spread awareness and acceptance, and she felt the balance growing through the galaxy with each passing day.

When they arrived in Mos Espa, Ben had leased a small cluster of abandoned slave dwellings at the edge of town.  They were run down and eroded from wind and sun, but the beds were soft and the doors closed tight at night. 

Together they had found a handful of lonely younglings scattered throughout the open markets of the space port.  She and Ben had found them hiding in the shadows between buildings and behind merchant tents. They took their hands and led them to safety.  When they introduced themselves, they never hid their names.

_ Rey of Jakku and Ben Solo. _

“ _ Solo _ ?” the children would exclaim with the bright glow of excitement shining from their eyes.  “General Solo saved the Rebels! General Solo saved Master Luke Skywalker!”

“Yes, he did indeed,” Rey would say, catching her morose lover’s eye from across a crowd of sandy children.

Ben’s smiles had become commonplace now, even at the mention of his blundering pilot father.  However, that darkness had settled high on his shoulders the moment his feet had touched the sand of this world.  Even as he teased and goaded the younglings with Force trickery, it lingered at his back, in the deep brown of his eyes.  

As their days sped by, Rey began to piece together the reason.  She heard it through the hushed whispers that floated between huts and tent poles like lost debris on the wind.

_ Skywalker _ .

Anakin Skywalker -  _ Darth Vader _ \- had been a tiny slave boy on this planet.  Many years ago, Ben’s grandfather had lived with his mother very near where they slept now.  The memories must have called out to him, tempting him with tales unknown.

Rey was at a loss, so she did what she always had - she waited, and she listened.  Each day, Ben kissed her the same as always, and his hands gripped her fingers tightly as they embraced.  She began to wonder if it was a trick of the light. Perhaps she had imagined the darkness?

She found him outside one evening after supper.  The blazing twin suns were setting into the rippling desert horizon at his back, but Ben faced their dwellings, lit by the lamp light inside.  Always guarding, always protecting. Behind him, the untouched dunes wavered in the distance. Rey walked to his side and threaded her fingers through his dark hair - like strands of fire-warmed slik in the fading sunlight.

Ben made a hum of pleasure at her nearness and leaned into her hand.  From where they stood they could see the bobbing heads of the children inside.  Arguments echoed out the windows as they fought over one thing or another. Eventually it quieted, and Ben reached for her free hand.  He drew it to his lips and kissed her palm. His lips were chapped and scratched from the heat.

“Something is bothering you,” she said gently.  

He tugged her around so she stood before him, and she knelt between his knees.  “It seems that you already know,” he said. 

Rey shrugged. “I’ve picked up this and that.  The planet speaks sometimes.”

Something like pride pulled at the corner of his mouth.  He squeezed her hand as he looked out towards the desert.  Lights from evaporators flickered in the near distance. “The memories are thick here, like ghost stories,” he said.  “They tug at me from all directions.”

“Of Anakin?”

Ben nodded.  “Of my grandfather, his mother, my uncle.  Such loss…”

“And, can you fight them?

Ben’s brows furrowed as he watched the sand swirl at their feet.  “I don’t need to fight the memories. I’ve heard them all before. They don’t tempt me with darkness or false promises anymore.  They only speak of sadness and struggle. Suffering.” His eyes were shining when he lifted them. 

She felt a rip through her heart and she pressed her hand to the side of his face.  “What is it?”

He didn’t look away as he said, “I find myself thinking of you, and your past.  What it must have felt like to be stranded somewhere like this.”

Rey sighed with relief.  “Oh, Ben. Don’t do that.”  She found herself laughing as she said, “Don’t waste your time.”

Ben’s eyes flashed with quiet anger.  “ _ Waste- _ ”

“I’m here now,” she cut in, firmly.  Her hand was still on his cheek. “I’m safe, strong, loved.”

His eyes had softened as he listened to her words and his mouth lifted in a slow, sweet smile.

“All of us made it out somehow.  Luke, Anakin, and me.”

He nodded.  

“How can I help you?” Rey offered.  “I’ll do whatever I can.”

Ben trailed his fingers up the side of her arm. “You’ve already helped me, just now.  You  _ do _ help me.  Each day. Thank you.”

They watched each other in the fading light as their bond seemed to hum between them.  She felt bashful and vulnerable, like she’d been stripped bare. His smile made her want to leap into the air but the intensity of his eyes always anchored her to the ground.  Ben Solo was a large force, practically radiating with power and strength, but he was hers, and she cared for him deeply.

The suns had nearly disappeared below the horizon.  It would be dark soon, and they should start their evening meditation with the children…

But she wasn’t often selfish with Ben, not since they’d been out on their own.  She wasn't quite ready to let him go yet.

“Do you like the sand?” she asked instead.  It was a question she would ask anyone, living most of her life on a desert planet.  Most people she had met had never set foot on a sand dune. She liked to hear the answers.

Ben seemed pleased at the distraction.  “I do,” he answered with a nod. His long hair swung around his ears.  

His answer had surprised her.  “Why?”

“I’ll show you.” There was a twinkle in his eye where the sadness had once been.  Rey bit her lip at the sight of it.

“Show me what?”

He didn’t answer, merely pursed his lips together.

She realized gradually that thousands of single grains of sands had lifted into the air around her.  They remained suspended, twinkling with the last bits of sunlight. Slowly, they began circling each other and undulating like fine threads until they formed shapes across her skin.  A lace made of sand seemed to form around her arms and chest, like a necklace and bangles. Each grain caught the light, like shining copper. Her mouth fell open as she marveled at the detail.  

Between them, more sand rose and bubbled like liquid until if formed a tiny _Millennium_ _Falcon_.  It swooped and swerved between unknown sandy scenery, living up to every legend it carried in its wake.

It shot away and into the distance, as though Ben had thrown a handful of sand into the darkness.

Eventually the shapes stilled and floated away on the wind, until only the delicate filigree around her neck remained.

Ben was smiling fully now, his eyes creasing at the corners.  He hid a laugh and bit down on his lip.

“That was remarkable,” she sighed.

“I’m glad you think so.”

Rey shook her head.  “Don’t be modest. I’m a bit flustered if you must know.”

He hummed and leaned close until she kissed him.  It was a welcome task to hide the blush on her cheeks and the trembling of her fingers.  When she pulled back, the necklace had gone.

“It’s a shame you can’t keep them,” she said, dusting the remnants off her blouse.

“I’m sure I could find a way,” he mused, watching her curiously.  “Or I could buy you something.”

Rey waved her hand into the wind.  “I’d have no use for anything that fine.  Look at us; crouched in the sand outside of a shanty town on Tatooine, with a brood of unwieldy Force children spying on us from the windows.”

They laughed together.

“No,” she sighed, smoothing his hair off his forehead.  “I have everything I need.”

Ben leaned into her touch.  “If that was all it took to make you smile that way, I’d buy you a necklace in a heartbeat.”

Rey draped her arms around his neck and twisted her fingers in his hair.  “ _ You _ make me smile.”

Ben’s lips pursed in embarrassment and he looked away.  

“Make me something with the sand,” she whispered in his ear.  “I don’t need to keep it.”

His eyes flit back to hers.

“I feel like it means you’re not lost to the darkness.”

“No,” he sighed, leaning close.  “With you, I won’t be lost to the darkness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves* Hi friends! Hoping to continue to have these as the challenges keep coming! If not...enjoy this short one shot! <3


	2. Scar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This week's theme is Scar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came to me in full the first time I listened to Ray LaMontagne's new song, _Such A Simple Thing_. Please listen to it [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6POcQ5wiUa4) if you can. It is stunning and beautiful and all I needed.
> 
> Maybe all Rey needed too :) Enjoy!

Rey’s whole body ached.

She’d taken her fair share of hits before; fallen from unreasonable heights while scavenging on Jakku, stepped on by a Luggabeast, backhanded by a bandit.  

These injuries were something else.  This time, it wasn’t just her body that ached; she felt it everywhere, inside and out.

Around her, the  _ Falcon _ was quiet and deserted.  After the battle on Crait, she and what was left of the Resistance had spent days making an obscure jump path to a new base.  Once they had landed, the Rebels finally departed the overcrowded ship. Rey had thought she was going to go insane. She had come to love the ship as much as everyone else, but even she had her limits.  

She had landed the  _ Falcon  _ on an arid, rocky planet that was far from inviting.  Lichen-covered, pink rocks covered nearly every surface of the terrain and harsh winds blew past.  The remnants of The Resistance trudged down the  _ Falcon _ ’s ramp and into the crumbling Rebel base.  Even Chewbacca left the ship for a few days.  Rey didn’t blame him, but she stayed behind. In some ways, she still felt too raw to leave the shelter of her ship.  She didn’t want to talk about where she’d been, or what she’d learned. The wounds were too deep.

She would tomorrow, perhaps.  Or the next day. But not tonight.

The physical wounds on her body hurt worse than ever.  Purple bruises clouded her face from where the Praetorian guards had smacked her with their plastine gloves.  The cut on her shoulder from one of their blades had begun to fester and was now hidden under a layer of bacta pads.  She wondered if it would leave a scar, and she felt sick at the thought.

She didn’t want to remember anything from that night, if she could manage.  Not the red armor or the red walls, not Snoke’s decapitated body or the way his hands had felt on her.  Not Ben and his pleading eyes, or his hand reaching out towards her. Not the feel of his strong body so near hers, or the sounds of his blade as he protected her - as they protected each other.

Rey clenched her teeth and shifted under the blankets.  Her joints screamed each time she moved, even now, wrapped up tightly in a bunk in the captain’s quarters.  

She was somewhere between asleep and awake, floating in a place that wasn’t nearly as restful as she would have liked.  Without the engines humming, the ship was near silent, aside from the air generators. 

One after another, everything changed.

The air went still.  The noise stopped and made her ears pop.  Everything around her faded into nothing.

Her body went rigid.  _ No _ .

This had to be a mistake.

She had been blocking him out.  He wasn’t suppsed to find her here.

The world disappeared into mist and suddenly she knew she wasn’t alone.

When she turned her head, she saw him lying on her mattress with his back towards her.  He was bare from the waist up, and she could see the crisscross of scars across his skin.  Hardly a moment passed before his spine went rigid with realization. She held her breath as she pleaded with the Force to let him fall back asleep.  Her heart rose to her throat as his head twisted slowly over his shoulder to find her.

Ben Solo was beside her.

His face didn’t betray his surprise, he kept the practiced mask of Kylo Ren firmly in place.  There was something about his eyes though. They were burning like coals in the fire. She could practically feel their path as they moved across her face and shoulders.

Every so slowly, he turned his body to his back, then to his other side.  They were an arm’s length apart, twisted in the sheets of their own beds. 

She could see the matching bruises across his torso, though he bore no blemishes on his face, aside from the scar she’d marked him with.  There were dark purple patches across his shoulders and chest. They gleamed in the low light of wherever he was, recently tended to with some sort of salve that she so desperately needed too.

He opened his mouth to speak and she felt her eyes widen.  He snapped it back closed and pressed his lips together. His jaw bulged.

_ Silence, then _ , he seemed to say.

His eyes flit across her face and seemed to linger over her left eyebrow, where she knew the worst bruise had spread.  Ben sucked in a deep breath and let it out before moving closer. Gently, as though he was reaching for a frightened creature, he reached towards her.

Their force connections were dulled in nearly every way.  Despite his nearness she could not feel the warmth of his body around her, or smell the scent of his skin.  They were trapped in a vacuum with only the sensation of touch to keep them together. Not even the mattress sagged with the weight of them in its center.  It was dizzying not to roll into him as she knew she should have.

Ben cupped his palm across her brow, covering the bruise in question.  His eyes were soft and sad as his fingertips danced across her forehead, as though he could will the pain away.  After a moment, he peeled his hand away so he could press his lips to the bruise instead.

The weak little breath she sucked in was unavoidable, even if it was the most embarrassing thing she’d ever done.  Rey closed her eyes against the soft feel of his lips, aching to feel everything else along with it.

His fingers slid away and back to his side as they watched each other.  Was it her turn now?

His scar cut across his cheek in a harsh, jagged line.  It was strange to realise it was still only days old. She remembered the sensation she’d felt up her arm when she knew she’d struck him.  The smell of burnt flesh and the gaping wound across his cheek. 

She had known so little then; about the world, and everything else.  About herself. She could hardly remember the Kylo Ren from the forest, especially now with his miles of skin and freckles.  In the snow, his face had been a smear of blood-red saber light. The rest of his body, enrobed in black, blended into the night.

She balled her hand into a fist, too frightened to reach out and touch him.  As they watched each other, Rey wondered what she’d have to carve out of him to make him turn.

To keep him.

Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes and Ben’s eyebrows pinched in the center.

How unfair it was to miss him, to ache for his companionship, when they’d hardly known each other two weeks.

She needed to learn, and he was right, after all; she needed a teacher.

He hesitated before leaning close.  Surely he could sense the storm of emotions inside her head, and the hesitance in her heart.  The intimacy of this moment had her nearly out of her skin.

He trapped a tear on his finger and wiped it away.  He moved it back to catch another, then another, until Rey felt a smile pull at her face.  She didn’t want to. He certainly didn’t deserve it, and it  _ hurt _ , but even she had to admit - this was nice.

They hadn’t said a word, yet she felt like they had.  Stars, she didn’t even know if this was real. Would she remember it in the morning?

“Rey.”  His voice was solid and firm as it cut through the silence, yet she didn’t flinch as the sound of it vibrated between them.  He said it softly a second time. “Rey.”

She felt her chin quiver.

“I’m sorry,” he said, just a softly.  His voice was thick with meaning. It seemed trapped in the back of his throat.

She didn’t trust her voice so she shook her head.

He didn’t say more, merely kept watching her.  His finger returned to catch each tear out of her eye.  Eventually she reached up to grasp it. She felt the dampness on his skin and squeezed tight.  Underneath she felt the bone and tendon, and the pulse at the tip of his finger. This was real enough, for now.  

He twisted his fingers until she was gripping his entire hand, then leaned in close, filling nearly all the air between them.  “Don’t give up,” he said.

His voice was a whisper, as though he was too frightened to say it out loud.   _ Don’t give up _ .  Rey heard it in her head echoing over and over.

She  _ had _ given up.  The moment he asked her to join him, she’d given up.  Her disappointment had nearly broken her then and there.  Ben Solo, this strange and marvelous person, had almost been hers.

It wasn’t meant to be.  It couldn’t be.

When she didn’t answer he said the words louder.  “Don’t give up on me.”

Her voice was like a growl in the back of her throat.  “Why not?”

Ben’s eyes widened.  Had he honestly not expected that reaction?  He squeezed her hand this time. “Because I want to be that person.  I want to be the man you left the  _ Falcon _ for.”

“No you don’t,” she hissed, turning away.  “You want to win. You want to destroy everything I love. Destroy  _ me _ .”  Rey wanted him to be the man asking for what he wanted.  Not the boy taking what he thought he deserved.

Their connection was fading even as his grip on her hand tightened.  She tried to tell herself she didn’t care, but the rip inside her chest opened even further.   _ Go _ , she wanted to say.   _ Leave me alone for good _ .

_ Let The Resistance die with dignity.  _

The sensation of his palm against hers grew less and less concrete, yet she still felt him lean close enough that his lips brushed her ear.  “No, I don't.”

She whirled her head around to catch him before he disappeared entirely.  “What do you want, then?”

His mouth worked over the words he wanted to say.  He reminded her so much of their very first Force bond, with wide, fearful eyes and a soft, innocent look to his face.  They were still young, after all - both deserted and alone for so long. What did either of them know about any of this?

His eyebrows lowered with determination before he spoke.  Rey was afraid he’d disappear before he could, but their gaze snapped together and he said, “You.”

As the words left his lips, he was gone. The  _ Falcon _ had returned around her, grey and peeling and dank.  She sat up in bed, too quickly, groaned in pain, then fell back against the pillow.

_ You. _

Surely that had been a dream.

There was no possible way he could want  _ that _ .  Not after everything...

From somewhere far away, farther than she could possibly imagine, she felt the sharp sting of desire - of  _ loss _ .

 

_ You. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I hurt you. You know everything will be a-ok. You can read my full fic [Not Alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13398261/chapters/30693054) if you want all the happy, resolved Reylo feels.
> 
> <3


	3. First Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This week's theme is "First Blood"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a little violent with this one. Ben's head is a dangerous place to linger...

The Nautolan was his first.

Ben hated him for thinking he was Luke’s favorite.  It was a useless assumption. The Jedi weren’t meant to have ‘favorites.’  Luke wasn’t meant to care about any of them more than master and student. Yet, the green-skinned alien pranced around behind him like a giddy tauntaun pup, waiting for praise.  He had countless metal cuffs around the tentacles that fell from the back of his head. The tinkling noise as he bounded through the halls set Ben’s teeth on edge. 

In the darkness of his bedchambers, the alien’s unblinking black eyes gaped at him as Ben raised his saber over his head.  He could see the reflection of his blade in them.

“Why?” the Nautolan asked.

Ben didn’t answer, and didn’t hesitate.

Rynda was next.  Once upon a time, Ben thought they could be lovers.  At least, once they had time for that sort of thing. She too refused to join him, and as the words left her mouth, she ignited her own blade.  It was not a cowardly move, to be sure, but like the rest of them, she had to go. It wasn’t much of a fight.

Ben had never taken a life before; now suddenly he was a murderer. The sensation of his saber cutting through flesh was still tingling at the tips of his fingers.  There was a slight resistance as he swung his arm through - a pulling, as though reminding him that he had a choice. He could stop; he did not have to follow through.

But he did.

Again and again.

Saber deaths were bloodless and clean, and the smell of burnt flesh was masked by the blaze of the temple fire all around him.  Perhaps he should have waited longer before coaxing flames up the walls, but he was eager. He wanted this to be done, and he wanted to be great for it.  Ben could feel Snoke’s pleasure humming within his bones. His master was pleased with him and was eagerly awaiting his arrival. Ben would be a weapon for the First Order.  He would deliver the justice he so wished to wash over the galaxy.

His friends stayed close behind them as they prawled the corridors of the small temple.  The inferno was building, and burning the backs of their arms and necks. His companions were loyal and true to their words.  They had known what they could become - what the whole galaxy could become.

Ben had become so sick of fools: the Jedi, his parents, The Republic.  They were weak with sentiment and devotion; unable to see past themselves to their true greatness.  

His mother was an exception, perhaps.  No one could argue that Leia Organa was a weak-minded fool, but she had underestimated him, and she had feared him.  She shunned him and pawned him off to his Uncle and now he was lost to her forever. She fought for the wrong side.

No, his friends would no longer be jedi knights, but they  _ would _ be knights.  His knights.

Ben felt the building burn of victory in his stomach and he was intoxicated by it.  Was this what the Jedi worked so hard to deny? The darkness called out to him, and he answered willingly.  It stroked the inside of his skin and urged him onwards.

As they neared the exit to the temple, one last student pulled himself out of the rubble; a wookie youngling named Tyvokk.  His fur was singed and matted with ash. He planted his feet and roared at Ben and his comrades. The wookie was without a weapon, defenseless and weak.  Ben raised a hand toward him.

“Join us or die,” he hissed.

Tyvokk squared his shoulders and stood his ground.  His eyes closed as Ben began to tighten his fingers.

“Then you die,” he said.

It was easier than he thought.  It seemed like only a heartbeat passed before the wookie collapsed to the ground.

They left the temple and it collapsed behind them.  The sky above was clouded with smoke and sparks, blocking out the moon and stars.  As the cool night air touched his skin, Ben realized he was covered in burns and scrapes.  His eyes stung from the smoke. He let his wounds stoke the fires inside him and urge him forward.  The pain was a reminder of how far he had come.

“What now, master?” someone asked to his left.

He closed his eyes and reached out, grasping at the future.

The Force was withholding, but Ben demanded.  He  _ took _ .

His fingers flexed as he pulled on a premonition and brought it to light.

He saw himself standing tall and commanding on the bridge of a star ship.  Stars spanned across the viewport before him. He was dressed menacingly in all black, wrapped from his neck to his toes in dark, woven fabric and leather.  A jagged scar cleaved his face in two, from his brow to his chin and beyond. He nearly felt the burn of it on his face even now.

_ Yes _ , he thought. This was who he was meant to be.

In his vision, something shot across the sky; a pod of some sort.  Something surged inside his chest. Pleasure, longing? It was more powerful than anything he’d ever felt.  

Ben’s eyes snapped open and he saw smoke and sparks once more.

“Master?”

“We walk,” he said.  “We find a ship. We’re done here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a beautiful monster <3 Thank you all for the support over the last three weeks!


	4. Speeder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt this week is "Speeder" and I'm more than up for the task! Who wouldn't want a daring, Reylo speeder chase??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, I spent too much time staring at "Can you see my surroundings, I can't see yours, just you" Ben. It's quite distracting. For me AND Rey. I hope you enjoy! I had a ball writing this one!

“Rey.”

The tone of his voice wasn’t helping things much.  Her fingers were already slippery with sweat, palms damp from nerves and stress.  The multi-colored wires trembled in her grasp. Green and yellow. She needed green and yellow.

At least, those were the colors she needed if this speeder was built on a core world...

“ _Rey_.”

An unexpected spark shot between two wires and she flinched.  Above her, blaster fire peppered the wall, showering her with rubble.  She shook off the dust and resumed her search for the wires.

She was crouched beside an abandoned land speeder, doing her best to get it running, despite lacking access codes or clearance.  For some odd reason, their scouting mission on this planet had taken a turn for the worse, and now they were being chased out of the city by some unnamed armed troopers.  Ben hovered nearby, guarding the entrance to the alleyway they were hiding in. His saber was lit, crackling red beams blocking laser fire before it damaged the speeder or either one of them.

“Rey!” he shouted this time and she felt her exasperation boil over.

“Oi!” she hollered back.  “I’m a Jedi hijacking a speeder on an unfamiliar planet.  You think this kind of work is easy?”

Ben groaned and blocked another volley of blaster fire.  “We can argue what kind of work I think it is when I no longer have to protect you from getting pulverized.”

Rey lifted her gaze to meet his and felt something settle between them.  He was a few paces away but he still seemed to tower over her. The disguise he was wearing made him look like the Kylo Ren she had first met.  He was wrapped in dark fabric up to his jaw, his hair was wild and plastered to the sweat on his forehead, and he was surrounded by a billowing cloak.  She didn’t fear him this time, however. But she did love him.

The familiar edge of his power brushed against her, easing calm through her veins.  It was as though he’d placed a gentle hand on her arm. Rey instantly felt guilty for snapping at him, but he brushed that away too.  She nodded and looked back at the wires tangled between her fingers. Without any more hesitation, she located the two that she needed.

As she pressed the ends together, there was an electric hiss, and the speeder’s engine finally burst to life.  “We’re in business,” she said, over the noise. “Let me see if I can access any rear shields, and we’ll blast out of here.”

Ben didn’t reply as she hopped on the speeder and poked her way through the console.  It was similar in design to her speeder on Jakku: part swoop, and part utility. As she worked, she tried her best to ignore the pang of homesickness low in her stomach.  Especially since she didn’t _really_ miss Jakku, she just missed her speeder.

Mostly.

The design of the vehicle was simple.  Riders straddled the central frame and there was an extra seat behind the driver, before the exhaust vent.  In front, a useless pane of transpirasteel was meant to shield the driver from unwanted shrapnel or pests. As with most swoop bikes, the front was overly large and decorative, but it seemed fairly aerodynamic.  She hoped it was as fast as it looked.

With a whoop of victory, she centralized all shield power to the rear and called out Ben’s name.  He was behind her in an instant with one arm wrapped tightly around her middle.

“Shields are on full, but keep your eye out for stray fire.  I’ll get us out of the city.”

Ben unhooked Rey’s blaster from her belt and she felt the pressure of his forehead to her shoulder as he said, “I’ve got you.  Let’s go.”

She would have kissed him if she could, but there was no time.  Rey punched the throttle and shot them out the back of the alley like cannonfire.  The stone city rose around them like jagged mountains. Carved into an expansive ravine, the ancient buildings and streets were seamless walls of granite.  In the muted orange of twilight, Rey could see the flickers of exterior lamps as they lit for the night. They lined walls and windows with soft flourescent hues of color that blurred as they sped by.

She felt the movements of Ben’s body as he twisted to halt blaster fire in mid air.  His fingers flexed on her stomach and she felt the frantic beat of his heart on her spine.

“They’re following us,” he said near her ear.

“How many?  Can you tell who they are?” She had to shout over the roar of the engine.

“There’s three.  You’ll be able to lose them.  I think they’re former First Order cronies.  Vigilanties. They have trooper armor, but it’s altered.”

Rey took a hard turn down a side street and prayed it wasn’t a dead end.

It wasn’t, but it spat them out in the middle of a main traffic lane.  She cursed as they sped between various other speeders and hovers. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

Ahead, the wall of the city loomed closer and closer, and the sounds of their pursuers quieted, until she knew they were alone.  Ben seemed to relax behind her.

He pressed his chin to her shoulder and said, “I sense some trouble at the gates.  Know any maneuvers?”

Rey eyed the towering wall ahead of them with apprehension.  “One, I think, if the angle is right.”

The city walls rose as high as the ravine itself, practically blocking out the sky and the sun.  Exits were through low tunnels at the base that were narrow, dark and unsettlingly long. If they didn’t make it through alone, there would be no turning around for at least three standard minutes.  They knew they wouldn’t have any trouble with city guards, but if the troopers had snipers…

“There,” Ben said, pointing ahead.  

Rey’s heart sank as saw him; a lone soldier, repelling from a lookout spot on the wall directly over the exit.  She could barely make out the shape of a rifle across his back.

“I see him,” she said.  She ran her wild plan through her head and eyed the frame of the speeder.  This should work. _Should_.  

“Hand me my blaster, and hang on,” she said, voice sounding stronger than she felt.

He pressed it firmly into her offered hand then looped his free arm around her waist.  Rey adjusted her command into the console to shift shield power to the port side. She focused on the road before her, took deep, calming breaths, and quieted the shouting in her head.  Strands of her own hair brushed across her face in the wind, Ben’s breaths warmed a spot on her shoulder, and her hands ached from gripping the throttle.

Rey pushed all of that aside, and visualized the soldier dangling from his perch.  She imagined the speed of their approach and determined the angle of her shot. This wasn’t going to come down to luck - _she_ would control this.

 When the shadow of the wall overtook them, Rey clamped her mind shut.  “Here we go. Lean with me,” she said.

She shut off the engine and yanked the helm to hard starboard.  Their approach speed carried them forward but as the back of the speeder drifted and scraped the road, the entire craft skidded sideways and tipped towards the ground.  Rey and Ben leaned with it until they were practically on their backs, staring up at the wall. The shape of the speeder prevented them from touching the stone themselves, but she felt the rush of it against her hair at the back of her head.  Sparks flew out in their wake. Above them, the stone wall seemed to stretch for miles; a desert of flat, uninterrupted grey.

Except for the sniper.  

Rey lifted her blaster and aimed straight ahead, to where she knew the soldier was stationed.  Her robes dragged along the pavement as she pulled the trigger. There was barely enough time to follow the red beam of light to its target, before righting them, switching the engine on full, and speeding through the gate.  Darkness swallowed them whole and stale air pounded their ears with the change in pressure. Behind them, the sickening clatter of armour and bones was the only indicator that she had succeeded.

Ben’s arms tightened around her and he hid his face in the back of her neck.  “Fuck,” he sighed into her hair. He practically collapsed against her, and she pushed back against him.  They weren’t out of the woods yet, they still had to find a hiding place.

It was dark by the time they made it out from under the wall.  Outside the city, the land was rocky and dusty. She kept the front headlamps off and drove them them up a winding mountain road.  The Force guided her through the darkness. Towards the top, she found an abandoned road, then another, until, at last, she slowed to a stop between two massive boulders.

It took effort to pry her hands from the throttle and they ached when she flexed her fingers.  “I think we should be hidden here,” she said, softly still staring down at her hands.

“I think so too,” Ben agreed, before climbing off the speeder.  He held out a hand to help her down.

Rey let out a slow sigh of relief as his fingers closed around hers.  The solid ground felt good under her feet and she anchored herself to it with the Force - sensed the scrap mice in the grass, the nesting birds amongst the rock walls, the insects in the sky.  They were alone, truly.

Thank the Maker.

Ben was watching her when she opened her eyes.  A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “We’re safe?”

“I think so.”

He unwound his cloak from his shoulders and draped it over hers instead, holding it closed tightly with his hands.  She hadn’t noticed that she was shivering. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Rey nodded and reached her hands through his arms to clutch the front of his shirt.  The fabric was warm under her fingers. “Thanks for having my back out there,” she said.

He smiled fully this time, eyes sparkling in the starlight overhead.  “You were incredible.”

Rey looked away and shook her head.  She felt a blush creep into her cheeks.  It seemed ridiculous that someone as inexperienced as her could impress the powerful Ben Solo, but somehow she always seemed to do so.  “I was losing it in the alley. It took too long.”

He tilted his head to the side until she met his eyes again.  “You centered yourself. That’s important. Besides, it worked out in the end.  And that move you pulled…”

She bit down on her lip to hide her smile.

“That was remarkable.  Even I’ve never done anything that crazy.”

She wanted to snort.  That was hardly the truth, but his face was playful and it reminded her of sunshine after a storm.  She let his words relax her and ease the adrenaline from inside her veins. “You like when I’m crazy,” she said, haughtily.

“I do. Stars know I do.”

There was something about the look on his face. It was heady and predatory. Her heart swooped into action. They hadn’t been alone like this on a mission in a long time.  This time there was no training, no force-sensitive children. Just the two of them stranded in the middle of nowhere.

It didn’t take long before he kissed her, slow and deep, like they hardly ever allowed themselves anymore.  She backed up against the wall of the boulder, the cool stone a contrast to the fiery heat of him. His arms slid around her and she snaked hers around his neck.  

They really should start a fire and put together some sort of shelter but this…

_This._

Their breaths were ragged and desperate and she twisted a fistful of his hair between her fingers.  

“Rey,” he breathed over her lips.  “ _Rey_.”

She remembered not an hour earlier, when he’d been shouting her name in the alley.  He’d been worried for her then, and she supposed that would never stop. It was nice to be worried over, especially if this was the reward.

He pressed slow kisses down her neck and tugged at the collar of her shirt to get to her shoulder.  Rey slid her hand under the folds of his tunic until she pressed her palm flat to his chest. It had to feel like ice on his skin, but he moaned into her ear all the same.

They sunk down onto the cloak that had fallen to the ground.  Perhaps they didn’t need a fire tonight, or shelter. Ben was big enough for shelter, after all, and they had each other for warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys. Ben Solo is as big as a shelter. HE IS SO BIG. I want him to shelter me. kbye.


	5. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt this week is "Fear" and I went deep down inside for this one. Hang on tight!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As with most of my writing thus far, this Rey and Ben are continuing on from my full-length fic [Not Alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13398261/chapters/30693054). It's not necessary to read that to understand what's going on, but it does explain a little bit about their life after the war.

The nightmares started to fade after the first couple of months on Ahch-To.  Days upon days of routine and distraction cleared his mind faster than he imagined - faster than Ben thought he  _ deserved _ .  The nature of his power was tied to darkness, however.  Inhabiting the inky blackness of his mind was the only way he knew how to find it, and harness it.  In that way, he was never truly free. 

There were whispers of darkness that haunted him, hidden in his thoughts when he was fooled into believing, at long last, he was free.  Sometimes they found him in meditation. Other times, they snuck into his self-conscious and littered his dreams with past horrors. He saw the faces of those he killed, heard their cries for mercy, felt the tendons in their throat as he squeezed.

He woke moody and raw, and hid himself away wherever he could manage until he pulled his pieces back, one by one, from the abyss.  Rey helped, without realizing it. Most of the time she did nothing, merely existed as a presence somewhere nearby, calling to him back to the light the way she so often did.

He wasn’t sure how long it had been when his dreams brought him back to the forest.  It was long enough that he shouldn’t have remembered the icy burn of the snow down the neck of his robes, or the stark blackness of the tree trunks against the blanket of white.  He found himself the way he had been that night - free of his mask with the guilt and anger of killing his father still ringing loudly in his head. He was himself but he was...different.  Guided by the memory of Kylo Ren, but conscious in his own thoughts as Ben Solo. His dream-self wanted to find Rey, and so did he, so desperately it nearly clawed out of him.

Finn lay on the ground at his feet, sliced cruelly down his spine.  Ben’s saber was still lit, painting the snow with a violent, red light.  The weapon vibrated in his fist, just as his anger vibrated within. And then there way Rey.

She seemed so...small.  Young, even. She knew so little about the world, about him, about the war.  Her face was pinched with emotion and her cheeks shone where tears had frozen to her skin.

He wanted to go to her, if only to warm her, but his dream-self kept him still.  His arm rose to reach for the Skywalker saber that he knew now was never meant to be his.  In a flash, it was in her hands, illuminating the clearing in blinding blue light. She was magnificent and powerful in a way he wouldn’t have understood then.  Like a supernova: expanding infinitely beyond her capacity or control. Ben’s heart split open as his dream body surged forward with hate and anger to strike her down.

His own hands swung his saber towards Rey - towards the woman he loved.

Ben wanted to fall to the ground and end it.  He wanted her to slice him into singed pieces and leave him to fall into the planet’s core. 

But no, of course that wasn’t what happened.  

Their sabers clashed again, and again.  Sparks littered the air around them and singed holes in the snow cover at their feet.  The blades hummed mere breaths from their faces, and the crackling energy nearly blistered their skin in the cold.  As they stared at each other, Ben watched the flicker of doubt in her eyes, when she, too had questioned his motives.  He saw  _ his _ Rey then, they Rey that knew Ben Solo was meant for better things.  

Ben was trapped in this body.  It was the cruelest form of torture he’d ever experienced.  As as they continued to battle through the woods, he fell deeper and deeper into the darkness.  His Rey was not here on this planet. Her light, like a lantern in the distance of his mind, was not lit for him yet.  He had no way back to the the balance they found together.

He fought against every motion, and screamed against every vile thing his dream-self spat at her, but he was nothing.  Ben Solo was nothing but a passenger in this nightmare. While the Kylo Ren in his dream was radiating anger, Ben was consumed with fear.  It choked him and wound around him like bindings, squeezing tighter and tighter.

At last his body was weakening.  He stumbled into the snow when he felt the merciless kick of Rey’s boot into his chest.  In a sick way, he revelled in the contact and her strength. The earth under their feet was fracturing and breaking apart miles below.  The vibrations were so intense they both stumbled. 

This time, he was waiting for her strike; the artful swing of her saber through the air, as it collided with her villainous opponent and cut him down the middle.

It burned as badly as it had the first time, but he tried to focus on the way she’d watched him fall.  She was channeling his energy all the way down to the way he used his saber. She paced around him with her shoulders hunched and her lip curled.  It was terrifying and brilliant at the same time. His feelings for her exploded in his chest, even as he lay broken and bleeding in the snow at her feet.

As his dream body began to fade, so did the forest around him.  The ground split and he fell back into the snow, staring up at the burning sky overhead.  There was no one to save him here, not even his former master. Once more, he would have to make the trek back to the base on his own, like a bleeding, wounded animal.

Memories of pain overtook him and he cried out into the night.  His hands clawed at his insides as though trying to rip open the carapace that trapped him inside.  Someone held him back and gripped his wrists in a vice. A voice seemed to shout, but all he heard was the roar of the planet breaking apart.  His voice splintered as he cried out again. 

“Ben!” He heard this time.  

The grip on his wrists tightened, but he felt their warmth.  He remembered the hut, and where he slept on Ahch-To. Even as the snow continued to swirl around him, he felt the pull of the bed sheets twisted around his legs.  Through the darkness, he began to make out the sloped, stone ceiling of their dwelling.

Then Rey’s face came into focus.  Her eyes were wide and frightened like in his dream, cheeks still damp from tears.  She hiccupped a breath as she reached forward to move his hair out of his eyes.

“Ben,” she whispered.  “It’s okay. You’re here.  With me.”

His throat ached and he felt that his own face was wet with tears.  He stared at the dampness on his fingers, half expecting it to be blood, then pressed his hand hard to his face, over his scar.

Rey caught his fingers.  “It’s healed,” she said. A tear rolled down her chin and landed with a splat on his chest.  “You’re all right now.”

He felt sick and exhausted, like he’d lived every instant of that battle, both in body and mind.  He sucked in deep breaths of air, tasting the salt and sea on his tongue. A wave crashed from below and he saw the ashy light of morning through the window.  Rey was tracing slow lines on his skin from one shoulder to the other. She covered the star-shaped scar on his left shoulder with her palm. 

“Ben.”

He looked at her as she said his name.  It was so wonderfully familiar, even in his muddled sense of reality.

“Are you here now?” she asked.

“Yes.”  His voice was a croak in the back of his throat.  The forest was gone, hidden back in the dark corners of his mind.

Her chin trembled and she finally broke.  “I was so worried. You were thrashing and screaming.  I couldn’t wake you up.”

His own chest hitched as he watched the tears fall from her eyes. In a rush, he pulled her on top of him, and held her tightly.  The weight of her body was exactly what he needed, holding him firmly in reality. He told her about his dream and everything he’d felt in his head. Around them, the morning sunlight began to stream through the windows.  As Ben’s heart slowed, the itch to resolve the turmoil inside him grew.

“I need to meditate today,” he said quietly, pressing his lips into her hair.

“I know,” she said.

It took him a while to pull himself from bed, but comfort was not first on the path to balance, after all.  Once dressed and outside, he made his way down to the water, onto the salt-crusted rocks that tumbled their way into the ocean.  The sea cows were already spread out amongst the stones, nursing their young. He settled himself between two herds, on a rocky outcropping free of sea spray.  The cows’ heads turned as they followed him with their sad eyes. 

He faced inland, towards his home and where he knew Rey would be most of the day.  Guilt ate at him for abandoning his work, but he pushed it aside. There was no rushing this.  He knew the tide would rise and recede before he was ready.

With reluctance and a deep breath, he closed his eyes and fell into the darkness of his mind.  There, he could reconcile the pieces of his past self, with the man he was becoming. With each swell and crash of the sea, he brought himself closer to the balance he sought.

As the sun rose in the sky, the land changed around him.  The sea cows returned to the water to dive down to the underwater caverns where they grazed on algae and shellfish.  When they left, flocks of Porgs settled in, harvesting the crabs and minnows sheltered by the large mammals during low tide.  All the while, Ben existed in his mind, climbing higher and higher out of the pit he had fallen.

He continued to make peace with his past mistakes and blunders, he forgave his family and the mistakes that were made, he let go of the teachings his once great master had taught him.  Ben focused on the island, on his life, and on Rey. He accepted the mundane and the meager in exchange for the peace they shared. As they healed the scars that war and hardship had left behind, they learned how to care for each other.

It was on this thought that he sensed her near.  His eyes opened to find her standing nearby, on a tuft of grass closer to shore.  “The tide is rising,” she called, smile tugging at her mouth. “I thought you might prefer to stay dry?”

Ben looked to his left, where the surface of the roiling sea was rising closer and closer to his rocky perch.  “Hmmm,” he said, then nodded. “Good idea.”

She turned to hop back onto solid ground, and he followed after easing the stiffness from his joints.  He eyed the color of the darkening evening sky and said, “Should I catch something for supper?”

Rey waved her hand with cocky ease.  “Don’t worry. I’ve got it already.”

They gazed at each other, and Ben let the damp sea air linger between them for a moment before taking her face in his hands. Their robes billowed around their knees in the wind. This was what he had wanted in the forest - to hold her between his hands, feel her life thrumming between his fingers. To treasure and acknowledge the importance of her being. 

“Although, I won’t accept any complaints on my cooking,” she chided, biting down on a smile.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he said, smiling too.

All around them was balance.  He absorbed the feel of it into his skin and his soul.  As Rey took his hand and led him back to the fire, he let the fear of his dreams go.  They would come, he would endure, and again he would find balance. With Rey he would always find balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben is lucky to have a girlfriend as understanding and capable as Rey. It will be my life's goal to continue writing their mutually balanced relationship, lol. Anyway, this concept of Ben stuck in his old body really freaked my out, so I thought it would be a good starting point. Could you imagine being trapped in a body that was trying to kill your true love? Get me out of THAT dream.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Can't wait for next week! Thank you to my darling NoBaggage for reading this over before I post!


	6. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt this week is "Home." Which I found to be a very complicated and layered concept for our heroes. Here's where I went with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain keeps telling me not to write another entry involving Rey and Ben in a functional, supportive future relationship...
> 
> But damn if I'm not addicted to doing that. Sorry, not sorry.

The speeder was exactly where she had left it.

_ Of course it was. _

Blasted, stupid thing.  It remained nothing more than a rusty scrap pile of bolts and starship siding, booby-trapped with every bit and bob she could find, standing alone outside Niima Outpost like she’d just pulled up to unload scrap.  It simultaneously mended and shattered her heart.

“What is it?  Are you alright?”

Ben was at her shoulder, looming with familiar closeness.  Rey leaned back into him, suddenly needing something steady and permanent to hold her upright.

This whole thing had been his idea.  They’d visited Chandrila together years ago.  It remained the most beautiful planet she’d ever seen.  For some reason, not seeing more of  _ her _ home had lingered on his mind all this time.  The day before, they’d been close to Jakku as they’d passed through the system, and now they were here - as though Ben wanted to have the lover’s tour of the planet.

_ Jakku _ .

It felt like somewhere out of a dream.  She’d spent so many years here, now she could hardly remember them.  Then again, it had already been six years since she’d left the planet.

“The  _ Falcon _ is in a power down cycle, but we could start her up again in under an hour if you want to leave.” His voice was low and close to her ear.  She wanted to roll into him and hide in the darkness of his cloak.

Instead, Rey swallowed the dry spit coating her mouth. “No. We’re here. I can do this.”

After all, he’d promised to fly her over the entire planet after. The salt flats, the crystal cliffs, the sand worm sea. All the places she’d heard about but never had the means to see. 

An arid breeze blew sand against their ankles.  The sky above was a brilliant blue and the sun shone high above their heads.

Ben changed tactics.  “Is that your speeder?”

She nodded.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek.  “It’s still here?”

“I can’t believe it either.”  Without wasting another breath, she shoved away from him and marched towards her speeder with conviction.  Up close she could see the marks of the years on the hull. It was red, and rusty around the edges. She feared it would crumble the moment she started it.  The net she had used to hold scrap had been ripped off, but that wasn’t surprising. As she neared its shadow, she held her hand out behind her to stop Ben from getting close.

“Stay back,” she said, “My security protocol might still be functioning.”

“Security protocol?” she heard him mumble under his breath.

With a slight thrill, Rey realized she could feel the crackling energy circulating through the chassis.  After all these years...it was still ready to shock the life out of any ignorant thief. She pressed her thumb to the data pad and the crackling disappeared along with all other signs of life.  The last spark of the power cell was finally extinguished. “Blast,” she hissed.

Rey turned on her heel and marched towards the nearest vehicle.  She didn’t give five kriffs whose it was. Niima Outpost was all but deserted anyway.  

“Rey?” Ben called, staring after her curiously.

She waved a hand impatiently, crouched down beside the closest speeder and ripped out its power cell without pause.  Ben gaped after her as she marched back to her speeder and ripped off the side panel.

“I’m sure you could have asked the owner-”

Rey shot him a glare.  “There’s no civilization on this planet.  No use being civilized.” She tossed the spent cell over her shoulder and into the sand, then shoved the new one in place.  The speeder hummed to life and she thumbed the power button with a flare of pride.

“Hop on,” she commanded.

Ben’s hesitance made her realize how rough she had sounded.  She sucked in a breath. “I’ll take you to where I used to live.”

He paused as if to say, ‘ _ Are you sure _ ?’ but pressed his lips together instead.  He was graceful as a fathier as he swung himself into the saddle.  She climbed on in front of him and revved the engine.

“Let’s hope these slamos didn’t syphon my fuel.”

Blessedly, the speeder roared beneath them as the sped away from the junkyard and across the wastes. The sun was blistering on their backs as they passed through the dunes until they reached the Graveyard.  Ben, who had been intently focused on her since they landed, was finally distracted by the looming shapes of the star destroyers littering the desert.

“I can only imagine how stripped bare those things are now,” she hollered over the engine.  

She felt Ben lean close.  “You scavenged on  _ that _ ?” he pointed starboard, to the Dreadnaught.

“I was the smallest,” she said, with a shrug.  “I could make it all the way down to the engine room without losing an arm.”

Ben said nothing more, merely pressed his lips to the bare skin of her shoulder.

She spotted the black smear of her felled AT-AT walker on the horizon and hit the throttle.  There was no possible way her shelter had remained as unscathed as her beloved speeder. Not even she deserved that kind of luck.

She was right.  The hatch door she had used as an entrance was wide open and her things were scattered about.  The weathered rebel helmet she used to shove over her head in the evenings was tossed ten yards away in the sand.  There were etchings in the side of the hull with her name written in Uthuthma.  _ Thief. Scoundrel. Rat _ .  Plutt, most likely.

“You lived in  _ this _ ?” Ben asked, eyes wide.  With a little thrill of pride, she knew that in a way, she’d lived out one of his childhood dreams.  Sheltered in a war machine from the past. 

“It wasn’t glamorous,” she reminded him, quietly.

“No,” he nodded.  “No, I know.”

Rey cast out with the Force and felt nothing nearby, nor hiding inside.  She still lingered by the hatch, hesitant to duck inside. How many sleepless nights has she spent staring up at the bolts in the ceiling?  How many meager meals had she consumed like an animal on the overturned trash bin that she used as a table? Shame boiled under her skin and she refused to look Ben’s direction as she finally pushed herself through the opening.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.  The place was a mess. Every cabinet and container was open and rifled through.  The changing sands had made their way through the hatch and carpeted the inside. Her blankets and clothing were shoved into a corner.  The computer she’d salvaged was smashed and ripped to pieces for valuable copper wiring threads. Her eyes skimmed over all of that, however.  They went straight to the wall with hundreds of etchings. Short, little white lines like soldiers lined up on a battlefield.

Her breaths began to come in gasps as she took in each marking, each pitiful year she spent barely hanging on.

“Anything left?”

She nearly jumped high enough to bang her head on the ceiling.

Ben was peeking through the door.

“It’s a mess,” was all she could say.  “My things are all gone.”

He cast his eyes around, looking far more thoroughly than she had managed.  “I’m sure that’s not true. I can help you find something if-”

“No,” she said.  Her voice shook in the back of her throat.  “We can leave it all.”

Ben nodded and pointed back outside.  “I’ll be out here. Just shout if you need anything.”

“Wait,” she said, clenching her jaw.

He paused, and his eyes shifted to her hand as she held it out towards him.  “Come inside.”

She showed him the markings and shared the highlights of what she could remember.  The flowers, how she’d learned new languages, how she’d taught herself to pilot nearly every craft.  Ben’s eyes were wide as he took it all in. They dug through the scraps of blanket and clothing to find journals and toys she had made.  It was hard, but it was much easier not to be alone...

Hours later, as the sun began to sink, and hot air began to lose its intensity, they lay on their stomachs under the doorway hatch.  The sand under their bellies was cool and soft. They rested their chins on their crossed arms and stared out into the wastes. The tail end of a star destroyer sliced the horizon in the distance.

“All this talk of home today, and I realized we don’t really have one,” Ben mused, watching the herd of happabores lumber past. “We have the  _ Falcon _ I suppose. But nowhere else.”

Rey watched quietly as he turned to face her. The sun had brought out the freckles on his nose and cheeks. His eyes were clear and bright. 

“We’ve been nomads for five years now. Do you want a home?”

She smiled. “And you’ll what? Build me one?”

“Maybe.” He smirked. “Whatever you wanted. Build, buy.  We could go anywhere.”

“We have a starship.  We  _ do _ go anywhere.”

He shot her a withering look.  “You know what I mean. I’m trying to be romantic.”

He was, and she adored it.  Rey let her eyes drift back out into the desert and settled her chin on her arms again.  _ Home _ . This place had been a shelter for survival. She had lived here to escape dying. It was a dwelling, not a home. Now, the  _ Falcon _ worked fine as a shelter as they moved from planet to planet. She had no desire to settle somewhere. The only desire she had was to stay with Ben. 

“I don’t need a place to call home,” she said. 

“Okay,” he conceded, quietly.

“I just need you.”

He twisted his head back to look at her.

Rey reached out to grab a handful of his cloak.  “You’re all I’ll ever need.”

He let out a painful sort of sigh, and gathered her in his arms.  Their combined weight pressed them deeper into the sand and she hid her face in the warm space between his neck and shoulder.  His heart beat hard against his ribs. 

They stayed that way until the sun started to touch the tips of the tall dunes in the distance.  Rey was cocooned in a balance of cool sand and warm Ben. 

“It’s twilight,” he said, finally lifting his head.  “We should head back.”

Rey nodded.  She’d been so reluctant to come here, so ashamed and afraid, and yet now she felt the tug of hesitation in the bottom of her stomach.

“Do you want to bring anything with us?”

From their position, all she could see was the hull of the walker above Ben’s head.  The periwinkle blue sky was a spectacular backdrop for Ben’s handsome face…

“Honestly,” she said, “I wish we could blow the whole thing up.”

His eyebrows shot up.  “Really?”

“You saw the marks in there,” Rey said, swallowing painfully.  “I was wasting away, wasting...everything, waiting. I’m done waiting now, I don’t need a reminder.”

She didn’t expect a kiss from him, but she welcomed it.  She could feel the day’s sun on his lips as she kissed him back.  Their bodies began to shift into familiar patterns as they moved closer and closer.  It was a fitting way to end a difficult day, but no. Not here. It would be wasted. Later.

_ Later _ .

After a lingering, final kiss, Ben sat back to watch her.  He pursed his lips and seemed to chew on what he was about to say.  “I hesitate to tell you this, but I tend to carry one or two small detonators at all times.”

Rey shoved him off of her.  Or, attempted to. “ _ What?! _ ”

“You never know!” he said, spreading his arms from where he lay in the sand. “And aren’t you lucky-”

“Lucky.  That you could blow us both up at any second?”

Ben rolled his eyes.  “They need to be  _ activated _ before they do any harm.  Don’t be ridiculous.”

She let out a breath and blew the hair out of her eyes.  Ben, now on his back, was smiling up at her. She pushed him back into the sand with a hand on his chest.  “Will one do?” she asked.

His smile widened.  “I can use both, just to be sure.”

Some painful emotion drew her eyes away from him and to the horizon, but she felt the warm shape of his hand slide up her arm in acknowledgement.  

_ Home _ .

Jakku had never really been a home.  The Resistance had become her home, the  _ Falcon _ , and Ben, always Ben.  The memories of all of her longing and loneliness seemed to press into her on all sides.  How she had  _ wished _ for a companion, for parents, for someone to give a damn.

The tears had already started falling when she looked back at Ben.  His mirth had faded and he watched her with his dark, attentive eyes.  

“You know, I have everything I ever wished for when I lived here.”

His hand gripped her harder.

“With you, I have everything.  Thank you for bringing us back here.”

Ben slipped his hand around the base of her neck and tugged her down for another kiss.  “You’ll never be alone. Not with me.”

The sky had darkened significantly by the time they finally mounted Rey’s speeder and raced away from the AT-AT.  They were about a mile away when the detonators went off. Rey felt the rush of blistering heat at her back and bit back the sob that threatened to fall from her lips.  Ben tightened his arms around her.

As the ringing in her ears subsided, she let the painful memories go, like sparks flying in the wind behind her.  Ben grabbed the ends of his cloak and wrapped them around her as they sped through the night. When the old memories faded, she replaced them with new ones.  Ben was her home, and their life was a happy one. They’d rescued countless lives across the galaxy and brought balance to so many young Force users. 

When they returned to the  _ Falcon _ , they’d wash the sand off of their skin and she’d make love to him. Just for tonight, they would shut the rest of the world away.  Tomorrow they would begin again. Tomorrow she would forget about the horrible life she’d once lived, and she would enjoy the wonders of this planet on its own.  They’d comb the nav computer for anyone in need of help and plot their next mission.

After she’d bid goodbye to her speeder one last time, Ben lifted her in his arms.  He carried her up the ramp of the Falcon and kissed her all the while. She had been unable to put a name to what they’d become to each other over the last five years.  After today, she supposed she finally had a name.

_ Home _ .

Ben was her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend NoBaggage ([read her Reylo Weekly story here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14194017/chapters/32718222)) and I were goofing over how sweet Ben is and I realized I had a lot of thoughts around that.
> 
> I think (hope) when Ben is able to shed the burdens of his past darkness, he would be absolutely devoted to his partner and their goals. I think in his life, Ben has suffered through a lot of abandonment and misunderstanding, so he would really value anyone who was purposefully standing by his side in support. In turn, I think Ben would do whatever he could for Rey, especially be patient. In his days as a conflicted child, I'd imagine Ben was a very quiet and observant young person. When given the chance, I'd like to think that behavior would continue in his adulthood. It would be a nice opposite to the very determined and outspoken Rey, who MAY not think before she speaks every time. :)
> 
> As for being super romantic...I don't know. I like to dream :) He is Han's son, after all. I set this five years after the end of my full-length story [Not Alone](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13398261/chapters/30693054) so I'm hoping they've gotten into a nice little groove with their relationship.
> 
> Stay tuned next week for probably another adventure with our committed heroes!


	7. Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This week's prompt was "Survival." Although...I feel like another word may have been my TRUE prompt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things I’ve noticed: a) I’ve subconsciously decided to explore Rey/Ben POV’s alternating weeks, I guess. b) I’m not ready to give up the functional relationship yet. c) Rey is a queen and Ben knows it d) apologies for the gratuitous use of the word ‘fuck’ but I’m really trying to channel Adam Driver this week. 
> 
> It's like, "Fuck" five ways, lol.

Fuck this stupid jungle.

Fuck his ship and his crash and those idiot pilots who had blasted him out of the sky without following proper protocol.

Fuck the fact that Rey would be pissed at him for destroying their brand new scout ship.

_ “We can do two missions at once this way,” _ she had said.  And she was right.  A supply mission  _ should _ be easy enough to carry out on a small, two-passenger, shuttle.  

Oh, and fuck the supplies that were bought, packed and were now scattered throughout this fucking jungle.   _ None _ of which had any real use in his current situation, aside from a more pleasant latrine experience.

_ Fuck _ .

Ben Solo tightened the strap on his arm sling with his teeth.  The crash, while not deadly, had been rough, and he’d dislocated his shoulder on the descent.  It popped back in place easy enough, but he needed to support the joint for a few days to ease the swelling.

All of which reminded him that he was field trained for injuries and battle, but not trained for survival.  That was where his brilliant partner came in.

Brilliant, and absent.

As if to further signal his failure, a massive clap of thunder echoed overhead, followed by an instant deluge.  Ben pursed his lips against the sheets of water streaming down his face.

“Fuck,” he hissed.

The small fire he’d managed to light using the sparks from his saber fizzled out, but the rodent he’d been roasting appeared to be cooked enough to eat.  That was  _ one _ survivalist skill he had, thanks to his Uncle Luke.  At the academy, they may not have been able to fight each other with anything more than sticks, or lift anything substantial off the ground, but Master Luke had taught his students to source food properly on other planets.   _ “I’ve been stranded on swamp planets far too often in my life.  I can only imagine what you’ll face in your travels.” _

So, he’d found a fat swamp rat and pinched its little throat.  

Suffocating a rodent was hardly the same as lifting an officer off the floor of a starship, but the memory still hinted at a swirl of darkness deep in his chest.  He pushed it aside for now, as he crawled under the shelter of the nearest tree. After he ate this disgusting bit of meat and dried off a little, perhaps he’d have enough determination to improve his mental health.

Perhaps.

Who knew how long he’d be stuck here, anyway?  He had tried to hail Rey on his way down, but the ship hadn’t retained power long enough to receive her response.  When he reached out with the Force, through the stars and the sky, he could feel her spark there, as always. It was tinged with worry and anxiety, and he tried to soothe it, even a galaxy away.  Ben only hoped the coordinates he’d sent along with his comm had gone through in time. He had no idea how far he was from the nearest civilization, and considering someone blasted him from the sky, he was doubtful they would welcome a humanoid with the face of Kylo Ren.

Either way, he’d find out tomorrow, assuming this rain let up.

Ben had spent a good hour trying to spark his long-lost Force connection with Rey, but the memory of those early days was nearly lost to him.  He remembered everything about her actual presence; the space she took up when she stood before him, the colors hidden in her hair, the freckles on her nose, and the brilliant hazel of her eyes.  That mattered little when he tried to conjure her through the Force. He needed to visualize her presence and her aura. He’d grown complacent with the feel of her body against his, and in that way he had failed.

He tried not to let himself worry that she was in danger, herself.  She was far too capable for that. At least, she wouldn’t be in danger for very long, anyway.  His Rey was talented like that.

Ben spat out a bit of gristle as he chewed the gamey rat between his teeth.  It wasn’t much, but it  _ was _ protein, he supposed.  Above, the rain continued to fall through the tree cover.  The sound of it was quite something. Not quite like thunder, but nearly as loud.  The drops hammered off each leaf on their way through the canopy. The tips of his fingers were already starting to pucker from the moisture, and he curled his toes in his boots.  They were still dry for now but surely not for much longer.

Aside from the swamp rat, he had run across few other life forms.  Perhaps they were avoiding the weather, perhaps they were lingering underground.  With the Force, he could  _ feel _ them crawling and slithering outside of his limited human eyesight.  Underneath that was  _ peace _ .  He was not a threat to them, and he didn’t waste time considering why.  He assumed he’d encounter the real threat soon enough. For that purpose, he had a blaster rifle and his saber clipped at his waist.

There would be no sleep tonight, but if it meant he met the dawn without a monster-sized bite out of his torso, he’d take it.

When he had finished, Ben buried the carcass of his dinner and stomped it down under the mud.  As he picked the dirt from his fingernails, lightning illuminated the clearing with a flash of blinding white. With it, he felt something else too.  Something bright and sure, like a sunrise or a wave washing towards him. 

_ Rey. _

She was coming.

He knew it more than he knew anything.

The short range comm hidden in his robes flickered to life.  They kept one on them at all times, for situations exactly like this.

_ “Scavenger hailing KR085. Over.” _

Ben’s eyes fell closed and he pressed his hand to his chest, over the shape of the comm clipped underneath his tunic.  Relief flooded his veins and made him momentarily boneless. He pressed down on the transmit button and answered, “KR085 receiving Scavenger.  Over.”

_ “Ben?” _

He let out a sigh as he said her name back.  “Rey, I’m here. Where are you?”

_ “Thank stars.  I just broke out of hyperspace outside of orbit.  Are your coordinates still accurate?” _

Ben looked around him.  The smouldering wreckage of their ship was somewhere behind him, but he’d wandered a good klick away to avoid unwanted attention.  “Close enough?”

There was a pause.   _ “That’s not very helpful _ .”

He bit down hard on his frustration.  “I was shot out of the sky on an alien planet, if you’ll remember.”

_ “Can you find the crash site?  I should be able to spot it.” _

“There’s a bad storm down here.”  He swallowed hard. “It might be better if you waited until morning.  Or, at least until the storm passes.”

The tone of her voice changed. _  “I see it from here.” _  She took a breath.   _ “Are you all right?” _

“I’m a little roughed up, but I’m fine.”

_ “Can you can survive as you are for a few more hours?” _

Ben found himself smiling into the darkness, despite his current predicament.  “I think so.”

_ “You think, or you know?” _

“I know.”  Ben chewed on his lip.  “Rey?”

_ “Yes?” _

“Are you mad?”

_ “About the ship?” _

“Yes.”

_ “I’m furious.  But I’m more worried about you right now.” _

“That’s nice.”

_ She sighed _ .   _ “Are you really all right?” _

He wanted to see her face.  “I am. I promise. Just don’t leave me here.”

_ “I won’t.  I’ll comm when the clouds dissipate.  Make your way back to the crash site when the lightning stops.”   _

It was hours and hours until the thunder and lightning finally faded into the distance.  Ben’s ears were ringing from the din of the downpour but his heart was much lighter. His feet, still blessedly dry inside his boots, carried him back towards the direction of the crash.  As the pale light of morning began to filter through the treecover, he could still see the trail of smoke in the sky. He kept a hand on his blaster as he wound through the vines and underbrush.  

The  _ Falcon _ was waiting when he arrived, and Rey stood at the ready on the ramp.  Her shoulders slumped in relief as she saw him. He lifted her off the ground with his good arm and Rey kissed him hard on the cheek.  “Thank the maker,” she whispered over his skin. “Let’s get out of here.”

They parted as she rushed to the cockpit to get them off-world.  He stumbled to the fresher unit and refused to make excuses for using all the hot water they had onboard.  He left his filthy, soaked clothing on the floor as he made his way to their quarters, only a grungy towel wrapped around his waist.

Ben found Rey seated on their bed, fiddling with an articulated part from somewhere in the  _ Falcon _ .  She looked up when she heard his footsteps and smiled.  “Feel better?”

He flexed his hurt arm carefully.  “I think so. Thanks for coming to get me.”

She stood from the mattress as he approached and fitted herself to his body.  “You make it sound like I’d leave you out there. Like I wasn’t worried out of my mind when we lost contact.”  Ben watched her lashes flutter as she drew his eyes down his neck to his bare chest. “After all, you’re the most valuable member on my crew.”

Ben chuckled and cradled her face in his hands.  “We can agree to disagree on value, but I’m glad you were there to save the day.”

He leaned down to kiss her with the lazy sort of ease that they probably couldn’t afford at the moment in this strange orbit.  Part of him expected her to push him away, but she didn’t. Her hands slipped around his back and her callouses bit into his skin.  It was Rey who unhooked the towel from his hips, who unbuckled her belt and let it fall to the ground, who held out her wrists for him to unbuckle.

“You aren’t going to chew my ear about our new ship?” he teased, dropping one cuff to the floor and pressing the bare skin of her wrist to his lips.

When he was finished, Rey lifted her arms so he could pull her shirt over her head.  “What ship?”

Ben was laughing as he kissed down her neck and unwound the linen strips from her arms.  She was the perfect example of delayed gratification, which he unsurprisingly tended to favor.  She was a treasure, wrapped up this way with gauzy layers of fabric. It was an age before they could actually collapse into the sheets and twine their bodies together.  For once she was still as he lavished attention on every bit of her that he had missed in the jungle.

He had felt like a failure earlier - a useless, silly boy lost in the woods - but the way she cried his name into the night made him feel less like one.  It was clear that he wasn’t cut out for that kind of survival, but he had other uses. Brawn for one, strategic planning, for another. He was more skilled in the Force, that was true.

And this, he thought, moving over her body.

He was good at this.  

He would concede surviving and rescuing to Rey, if he could retain the ability to make her feel this way.

Afterwards, they dozed with Rey’s spine curled against his chest.  His nose was buried in the base of her hair. She smelled like ozone and grease.  All the grit and grime from her skin had found its way back to him and things felt  _ right _ once more.  

Ben had already pushed aside the unhappiness he’d felt in the jungle.  Being lost tended to do that to people, and he had been found after all.  

Rescued by brightest star in the galaxy.

“You’d better calm yourself,” Rey mumbled from the pillow.

He tightened his arms and pulled her more firmly against him.  “Hmm?”

“You’re consumed with light.  It’s almost blinding.”

Ben smiled against her skin.  “A few years ago you’d be thrilled at the concept.”

“People change,” she teased, twisting around so she faced him.

Ben arched a brow and her face broke into a smile.

“It’s brilliant,” she amended her earlier statement.  “ _ You’re _ brilliant.”

“That’s you,” he said.

Rey pulled a face.  “How do you figure?”

“Down in the jungle, all I could think about was how ill-suited I was for the task.  How capable you would have been.”

Her face smoothed out and she moved her thumb over his lip.  “For me, survival was a way of life, not a skill. You’re more than capable of surviving on your own.”

“Well, I don’t want to.”

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.  “I’ll see what I can do.”

“As captain of this vessel, I feel that you should.”

“You turned into quite the smart-ass in the jungle.  It seems remiss of me not to mention that you ruined our new ship...”

Ben groaned as he rolled them so she was on top of him.  Her hands settled on either side of his head. “Please don't.  Not yet.”

Rey watched him from her new vantage point for a moment, then leaned close.  Their bodies shifted together. “Fine. Not yet.”

As she kissed him, all memories from his long night in the jungle seemed to disappear.  He found himself wishing they could drift through space forever, just like this. With a thrill low in his gut, he realized they could.

Until someone else needed help, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told my friend [NoBaggage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14194017/chapters/32718222) that Ben's new title is Lord of the Sack. Ship it.


	8. Solo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt this week was, "Solo"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Long time no see! Isn't it annoying when life gets in the way? I hope you like the return of the functional relationship fluff.

The names were all etched into the rock face, carved into the granite with unknown sharp objects.  Some were deeper than others,  _ older _ than others, the intendations almost wiped away with wind and erosion.

Rey traced her fingers along the edge of a character written in an unknown dialect.  It was a circle with lines and dots - mere shapes that could mean anything. Perhaps an exclamation of triumph.  Reaching this rock was certainly an achievement in itself.

She looked over her shoulder and through her wind-whipped hair to where the expanse of a churning sea splayed out before her.  The sky was pure blue, littered with puffy white clouds. Below, the sea was a deep aqua and painted with shadows from the clouds overhead.

The cliff jutted away from the rest of the mainland and it felt like she was on a pillar in the midst of the ocean itself.  The rock with the names cast a cool shadow across her shoulders, guarding them from the harsh light of the sun. She couldn’t exactly remember when they had agreed to climb this sea-side cliff together.  Perhaps they hadn’t actually agreed at all and it had merely become an unspoken challenge. They had been on the planet for hardly even a day, but could not -  _ would not _ \- rest until they had climbed this peak.

_ “The best views on Corellia!”  _ the sign had said at the bottom.  They hadn’t been wrong. In fact, the whole planet had been fairly spectacular, but this was something else.    

As her heart rate slowed, she began to hear a steady chanting from the stone.  The names held whispers and they called to her at once, sharing their excitement or pain.  Some had climbed for the challenge, others for their end. Her knuckles gripped at the flat surface of the stone.

A hand appeared beside her, palm up.  It was familiar in every way. Large, strong and scarred.  Ben’s hand. 

In his palm was some sort of tool with a pointy metal end.  She lifted her eyes to meet his.

He was outside of the shade line, and the sun illuminated the mossy brown color of his eyes.  His dimple was shadowed on his cheek. “Are you going to put your name down?”

Rey looked back at the rock and felt the whispers again.  Suddenly it felt wrong…

“I’m not sure.”

She felt stupid as she said it.  They wouldn’t be the first to climb this cliff for fun, carve their names and leave.  But these whispers were so much more than that. She felt like an intruder, even if they’d just spent the better half of a day battling their wills, the wind and their own bodies to arrive at the peak...

Ben’s head cocked to one side and the motion caught her eye.  She met his gaze. It was clear that he was not hearing the traces of the others in the stone, and she didn’t want to burden him with it.  Rey waved a hand. “You go, I’m still trying to catch my breath.”

His eyes tightened as he watched her, as though he was going to ask her another question.  Instead his boyish smile returned and he kneeled at the base of the stone. 

Rey stood where she was, watching has he started to chip at the granite with the tool he had brought.  The muscles in his arms flexed and stretched as he worked at the first letter.

_ S _ .

Solo, then.  Rey smiled and threaded her fingers through his hair as he worked, a quiet acknowledgement of what he was doing.  He leaned into her hand in response, then went back to work.

She slid down the face of the stone and pressed her back to it’s cool surface.  Vibrations of Ben’s work reverberated up her spine and she let her eyes fall closed.  On this side of the cliff, they were sheltered from the relentless wind, but a breeze still ruffled her hair and the fabric of her robes.

In her mind she saw Ben’s name in the stone.   _ Solo _ .

They didn’t carry very many letters between them.  Rey. Ben. Solo. In fact, the short names hardly seemed big enough to account for everything they’d seen and been through; all of their struggles, battles and adventures together.

She had no recollection of her family name.

A six year old child had no use for a family name when she had been deserted on a planet like Jakku.  She didn’t need one when all they could do was shout, _ ‘Girl!' _ and rip the scrap out of her hands.  If anything, she could have made one up, or stolen one.

She had known children on Jakku families.  She had befriended them and grown up with them.  Long ago she had thought they might take her in and give her their name.  It was never meant to be; one by one they had all left. No families stayed for long.  Life in the desert was brutal, and no humanoid was naturally equipped to bear it for long.

Years later, when she’d finally left the atmosphere on her beloved  _ Falcon _ , she had forgotten all about the quest for a family name.  Her life had become a quest for  _ herself _ , and the powers she had started to learn.  It had become a quest for Ben, and earning his trust.

Slowly, Rey’s mind returned to where she sat, sheltered by the rock and the shade, with Ben Solo chipping away by her side.  

“Hey.” His voice was calm and warm, like the sun overhead.

She opened her eyes.

Ben was watching her.  “Will you tell me what’s bothering you?”

Rey shook her head.  “Nothing. Did you finish?”  She twisted around so she could inspect his handiwork.  It was wonky and uneven, but it was fresh and new. It was  _ his _ .  “Well done.”

Ben held out the tool once more.  “Do you want to do yours? I can do it, if you’re still tired.”

She shook her head.  “Yours is enough. Someone will see it and know you.”

His hand lowered and he took his lower lip between his teeth.  “Rey, I was just thinking…”

He moved and sat down beside her so they were shoulder to shoulder.  The skin of his arm was still damp with sweat, but the feel of him was a comfort.  Suddenly she felt so weary and spent, all she wanted to curl into his lap like a porg chicklet.

“I was just thinking that the next time someone comes up here, if they see my name, I hope they think of both of us.”

Rey smiled.  “I hope so too.  Or your father.”

His scrunched up his face and shook his head.  “That’s not quite what I meant.” He flung himself from the stone and crouched so he could see her face.  He was flighty like a bird.

“Rey,” he sighed.  “When they see my name, I want them to see both of us.”

She blinked, still unsure of his meaning.

His jaw clenched.  “You don’t have a last name.”

She looked away, but he grasped her hands.

“Do you want mine?”

The roar of the wind and the sea seemed to dim a little.  The whispers, the bird cries - all of it.

“What?”

Ben gathered her hands between his and pulled them against his chest.  His nervous heart thundered underneath his shirt. “Do you want my last name, Rey?”

She leaned forward, away from the rock and closer to him.  “What are you asking me?”

They were knee to knee now, barely a breath between them.

“This wasn’t my plan when we came up here.  I swear,” he hid his face as he laughed. “But I saw all the names here and it hit me...”

His eyes were bright under the blue sky.

“It’s been a long time since we ran away,” he said, gently.  “Five, six years?”

“Seven,” she whispered.

“Maybe everyone already thinks we’re married.”

_ Married _ .

“And that’s not even what I’m talking about, really.  I mean, maybe. Rey…”

He released one of his hands and pressed it to her cheek.  “You’ve lived too long without a family name and I want you to have mine.  You’re my family.”

The tension she’d felt since they had arrived at the peak finally released like a slip of fabric caught in the wind.  The tears built behind her eyes and fell over her cheek, one after the other. Her chest hitched and she threw her arms around him.  He held her so tightly she could hardly breathe.

“I love you,” he breathed into her hair.  “I want others to know that we’re not alone in the galaxy.”

Rey hid her face in the warmth of his shoulder. The name was echoing in her head with resounding force.

_ Solo, Solo, Solo _ .

She thought of the Solos before them, of Han and Leia.  She acknowledged their adventures and their achievements, their mistakes and failings.

_ Their love _ .

Surely it had required more endurance to befriend Ben than it would take to keep him?  She sat back to take his face in her hands. Her thumbs moved over his cheeks and the crinkles at the corner of his eyes.

“I do want your name,” Rey said at last, relaxing into his chest with her full weight.  “I want it so badly it can’t be very Jedi-like of me.”

“You think all of our students would fault you?” he teased.  “I certainly won’t.”

Rey chewed on the inside of her cheek as they watched each other.  “And what of the rest of it?”

His eyebrows raised slowly.  “The rest of it? Everything else that comes along with taking my name?”

She nodded.

“Do you want that?”

She did. Stars knew she did.  So, she nodded again. A blush lit her cheeks that burned like the Jakku suns.

Ben beamed at her.  “You want to be my wife?”

“Yes.”

He bit down hard on his lower lip in a way that made her insides turn to mush.  He wanted it too, that much was clear. 

Her voice shook as she asked, “And when we fight?  Will you still want me when I push too hard? Ask too much?  Talk to loud?”

He chuckled, and the deep sound seemed to vibrate through her whole body.  “I will.”

As the words left his lips they both froze.   _ I will _ .  Were they speaking vows now? The sound of his voice had sent her heart into a gallop.

“Rey,” he sighed.  “I thought it would be clear by now.”  He leaned in for a kiss that she hadn’t realized she’d been waiting for.  It lingered for a moment, and she gripped the front of his tunic. When he pulled away his eyes were bright and shining.  “You’ve all I want in this whole galaxy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, I forced myself on this one, but I'm glad I did. I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
